The present invention relates in general to a safety system attached to the seat belt system installed in a motor vehicle such as a seat belt positioning assembly for positioning a seat belt in a preferred position along the lower abdominal region of a pregnant person so as to avoid the womb and more particularly to a pregnancy seat belt, for reposition of the lap portion of the seat belt called a lap strap below the belly button, which in turn reduces the amount of pressure placed on the fetus/stomach.
In most countries, seat belts and head restraints are the only elements of vehicle equipment the use of which is defined by the Traffic Code. The analysis of car accident statistics and of survival statistics of their victims indicates the necessity to use seat belts by all people in the car (the driver and all passengers). The use of seat belts by pregnant women should also be considered necessary, despite the fact that the Polish Traffic Code exempts them from this requirement. The risk of injury to the pregnant woman and the fetus induced by properly used (fastened) seat belts is much lower that is the risk of injury caused by sudden deceleration resulting from abrupt braking or a collision of the vehicle which she is in.
Most women know that diet, rest and exercise are important during pregnancy. But many mothers to be may question the wisdom of wearing a safety belt, fearing that the belt may injure a developing fetus in the event of a car crash. In reality, both mother and baby are far less likely to be harmed in a crash if a pregnant woman is buckled up. The greatest risk to a developing fetus is injury to the mother. Properly wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of fatal injury to front seat passenger occupants by 45 percent in a car and 60 percent in a light truck. A study conducted by the University of Michigan (UMTRI) found that unrestrained or improperly restrained pregnant woman are 5.7 times more likely to have an adverse fetal outcome than properly restrained pregnant women. There is no evidence that safety belts increase the chance of injury to the fetus. For proper protection, the lower portion of a lap/shoulder belt should be worn under the abdominal bulge, as low on the hips as possible, and against the upper thighs. The belt should never be placed above the abdomen, since this could cause major injuries in a crash. The upper part of the lap/shoulder belt should be placed between the breasts. Never slip the upper part of the belt off the shoulder or behind your arm. Both the lap and shoulder portions of the belt should be adjusted as snugly as possible.
Women should wear a lap/shoulder belt throughout their pregnancy. In a crash, the lap/shoulder belt will keep the mother in the vehicle and will prevent her head and chest from striking the steering wheel or dashboard. It's important that other passengers in the vehicle also wear their seat belts, not only for their own safety, but to prevent violent contact with a pregnant woman in the event of a crash.
There have been numerous attempts in the prior art to design a seatbelt apparatus specifically designed for use by a pregnant person so as to avoid exerting a sudden force on the womb in the event of an accident. Most of these seatbelt assemblies in the prior art are rather complex and are designed to replace the existing seatbelt apparatus in the car, thereby becoming a permanent installation. Additionally, many of the seatbelt assemblies for pregnant persons existing in the prior art are extremely cumbersome and require a great deal of effort to secure the assembly in a fastened position about the user's body.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the present seatbelt art for a seatbelt positioning assembly for a pregnant person adapted to be used in combination with an existing seat-belt apparatus as commonly found in present day automobiles, wherein the positioning assembly is specifically designed to position and orient the seatbelt along a lower abdominal region of the pregnant person in such a manner as to avoid contact across the womb. Additionally, there is a need in the present art for a seatbelt positioning assembly for use by pregnant people which is easy to fasten and unfasten allowing the user to quickly and efficiently enter and exit the automobile in every day use.
The description of this patent addresses specifically pregnant woman. However, other people with special conditions may also find it advantageous in making use of this invention. People who are obese or have had colostomies, ureterostomies, various surgeries or abdominal abnormalities caused by disease or birth defects can also use this invention to be safer and feel more comfortable when in a motor vehicle. The description of this patent also addresses specifically cars and car seats. However, other modes of transportation such as airplanes and other seats such as wheel chairs can also use this invention.
Thus, the objective of this invention is to help prevent the lap strap of a seat belt from riding across the abdomen of a pregnant woman.